Receptacle support



April 5, 1955 c. J. MARKWARD RECEPTACLE SUPPORT 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 7, 1951 1 N VENTOR April 5, 1955 c. J. MARKWARD 2,705,385

RECEPTACLE SUPPORT Filed Sept. 7, B51 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HI I HW l I! m i [11 in m J "W w "W Jig- .5.

I N VE NTOR I g 52' Zip 444mm, 011x6 Maw United States Patent ice RECEPTACLE SUPPORT Charles J. Markward, Silver Spring, Md.

Application September 7, 1951, Serial No. 245,503

3 Claims. (Cl. 45-28) The present invention relates to receptacles and more particularly to supports therefor.

An important object of the invention is to provide a support for a receptacle which will permit ready movement of the receptacle from an operative to an inoperative position and vice versa, while restricting swinging movement of the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a receptacle support which will support an additional element which is of simple and inexpensive construction, and which may be easily and quickly installed.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and wherein like characters of reference denote like parts throughout,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a bathroom and illustrating the invention as applied to a soap dish associated with the usual shower curtain,

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the soap dish moved to an inoperative position,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the soap dish showing a portion of the curtain supporting rod,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the soap dish, looking in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modi fication in which the soap dish is secured to one of the usual forms of curtain supporting hook rings,

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a further modified form of receptacle support, the curtain rod and a portion of the soap dish being shown in section, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary front elevation of the receptacle support of Figure 7.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a receptacle which for purposes of illustration is shown as a soap dish, but which may have other forms and applications. The soap dish may be of any suitable shape and construction and may be of any suitable material, such as, for example metal or plastic, which has the advantage of low cost and is easily fabricated. The soap dish is adapted to be supported on the curtain supporting rod 11 in conjunction with the usual shower curtain 12.

For convenience in use with the shower fixture 13, it is important that the soap dish be supported in an elevated position Well above the bathtub 14, and preferably adjacent the upper edge of the curtain 12. It is customary to support shower curtains by means of suitable rings or hooks freely slidable upon the curtain rod and passing through suitable grommets, such as illustrated at 15, adjacent the upper edge of the curtain. With this arrangement, the curtain may be moved to one end of the tub by sliding the supporting rings or hooks along the rod to the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

In order for the soap dish to be conveniently used in an elevated position adjacent the upper portion of the curtain and supported from the curtain rod, it is necessary that the dish be freely movable with the curtain and its supporting members, so that the dish will not interfere with normal movements of the curtain.

In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, one form of shower supporting hook or ring element now in use is illustrated, which comprises a rod-encircling upper hook member 16 and a small depending curtain engaging loop or hook 17 2,705,385 Patented Apr. 5, 1955 normally disposed vertically below the axial center of the curtain rod. Such a hook has the upper hook member 16 extending through an are greater than but substantially less than 360 and formed from relatively thin flexible material, such as plastic or metal so that it can be readily deformed to be passed over the curtain rod and then when released, will spring back into its normal shape, so that it cannot be inadvertently removed from the rod.

The book member 16 hasan inner radius slightly greater than the exterior of the rod, so that it may also slide freely on the rod.

In one form of the invention, a supporting member of the same design as the curtain hook 16-17 is connected to the soap dish by means of an arm or web 18 forming a generally horizontal continuation of the lower portion of the upper hook member 16' and connected to the upper edge of the side of the soap dish midway between the ends of the dish. The dish, supporting hook and connecting web are shown as integrally formed, but obviously may be separately formed and suitably connected, if desired. The lower surface of web 18 is spaced above the uppermost portion of the open end of the curtain supporting lower hook member 17', so as to provide a space for passage of the curtain when the hook 17' is passed through the curtain grommet.

In use, the soap dish hook element 1617' is substituted for one of the usual supporting hooks 16-17. The upper hook member 16 serves to slidably support the dish from the curtain rod and the lower hook member 17 passes through one of the curtain grommets 15 and serves to support the curtain. The web 18 will extend inwardly to support the soap dish in a generally horizontal position on the tub side of the curtain, and the tendency of the soap dish weighted with a bar of soap to turn about the axis of the curtain rod will be resisted by the weight of the shower curtain carried by the lower hook member 17. When the shower curtain is moved to one end of the rod 11, the soap dish will be moved along with the curtain, as illustrated in Figure 2, and will not only be out of the way, but will be hidden from view by the curtain. Anyone taking a shower may easily reach soap in dish 10 Without bending over beneath the shower spray and exposing the hair to the water s ray.

If desired, the soap dish may be formed independently of the supporting member and attached to the supporting member in any suitable manner. in Figure 6 is illustrated another form of curtain supporting ring in use, which comprises a spring steel enlarged upper ring is to receive the curtain rod, and a reduced and elongated lower loop 20 to support the shower curtain. The ring is separated near the top of the reduced lower loop and the ends of the ring overlap, one end being enlarged and recessed to receive the other end in a manner similar to a safety pin, so that the ring may readily be placed on the rod 11 or removed therefrom. When used with this type of ring, the web 18' is provided with a substantially vertical sleeve portion 21 to engage the elongated portion 20 of the ring below the rod 11. The sleeve 21 may be molded about the ring portion 20 during manufacture, or as shown in Figure 6, may be split throughout its length as at 22, so that it may be sprung over the ring portion 20 of one of the shower rings in use. In this form of the invention, the soap dish will be supported in a horizontal position in the same manner as in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5.

In Figures 7 and 8, a ring or hook member, similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 5, is formed separately from the soap dish 10" which is preferably provided with a horizontal rim or flange 23 at its top. The lower portion of the upper hook member 24 is extended beyond and in spaced relation above the open top of the lower hook member 25 and is provided with two spaced depending leg elements spaced forwardly of the lower hook 25 and terminating in forwardly projecting, substantially horizontal flanges 27. A central lug 28 extends forward in spaced relation above the level of the flanges 27 and terminates in a depending flange 29. The soap dish may be inserted between the lug 28 and flanges 27 by tilting the dish, and as shown in Figure 7. will be engaged on its lower side by flanges 27 and on its inner wall by depending flange 29, the dish rim resting against the lower surface of the central lug 28.

Other means of securing the soap dish to the shower curtain and rod may be employed, but it is important that a portion of the weight of the curtain will be exerted upon the dish in a direction tending to resist the tendency of the dish to turn about the axis of the rod.

While the invention has been shown and described as applied to a soap dish for use with a shower curtain, it may obviously be applied to any similar receptacle which it is desired to support adjacent the upper portion of a curtain of any kind which is supported by a rod or similar fixture on which the curtain is movably supported.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a substantially horizontal curtain rod, a shower curtain, and elements slidable on the rod and engaging the upper edge portion of the curtain to support the latter in hanging relation below the rod, of a horizontally disposed receptacle, a hook secured to and extending upwardly from the receptacle to slidably engage the curtain rod and support the receptacle at one side of the rod, and means carried by said hook to engage the upper edge portion of the curtain so that the downward pull exerted by the weight of the curtain will resist swinging movement of the receptacle out of a substantially horizontal plane.

2. A combination of the character described in claim 1 wherein said hook is integral with said receptacle.

3. A combination of the character described in claim 1 wherein said receptacle is detachable with respect to said hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 604,549 Spencer May 24, 1898 674,956 Buschmann May 28, 1901 1,032,210 Hibbs July 9, 1912 1,500,991 Heitler July 8, 1924 1,672,317 Hill June 5, 1928 2,161,577 Howlett June 6, 1939 2,295,972 Simmonds Sept. 15, 1942 

